Artichoke & Pearled Spelt Salad

Ingredients

• 3 large globe artichokes
• 4 medium lemons, juiced (150ml)
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• 125ml white wine
• 60ml olive oil
• 150g green peas, fresh or frozen
• 100g pearled spelt, rinsed
• 20g parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 small gem lettuce, cut in half lengthways and again into 3 or 4 wedges
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 or 2 tsp chilli flakes (or 1 or 2 tsp plain chilli flakes)

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6.
   
   
2. Cut most of the stalk off the artichokes and remove the tough outer leaves by hand. When you reach the softer leaves, take a sharp serrated knife and trim 2–3cm from the top. Cut the artichoke in half lengthways, so you can reach the heart, and scrape it clean.
   
   
3. Rub the heart with a teaspoon of lemon juice to stop it discolouring, then cut each artichoke into 5mm slices, place in a bowl of cold water and stir in half the remaining lemon juice.
   
   
4. Once all the artichokes are prepped, drain and spread on a 21cm x 23cm baking tray. Add the remaining lemon juice, bay, thyme, garlic, wine and oil, cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, until tender.
   
   
5. Remove, take off the foil and leave to cool down.
   
   
6. Fill a medium saucepan with cold water, bring to a boil, add the peas
   and blanch for 30 seconds. Lift out the peas with a slotted spoon,
   plunge them into cold water, drain and leave to dry. Tip the spelt into
   the boiling water and simmer gently until al dente (about 20 minutes).
   Drain, refresh and leave to dry.
   
   
7. Put the artichokes and their juices in a large bowl, add the peas, spelt,
   parsley, lettuce, half a teaspoon of salt and some black pepper, toss
   gently, sprinkle with chilli and serve